Better Beware
by ReeReeWithAngst
Summary: Sara and Wirt hit a rocky patch when discussing their Halloween costumes, and Wirt struggles with the nightmares leftover from last Halloween. The Final Day of my Story-A-Day challenge. Happy Halloween!


**Today's Halloween, and the last day of the story a day challenge. I've been wanting to write an Over The Garden Wall story for a while and I'm really proud of this one, because not only does it go with the Halloween theme of my self-imposed challenge, it also feels like it fits with the characters and the story in a way that just makes me happy. I hope you enjoy this look into the mind of Wirt and Sara as they handle the first Halloween after the accident.**

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"I cannot believe you." Sara accused.

"What?"

"You are the most pulled together and calculated person I know. You hardly get a drink of water without having a game plan. But you have _no idea_ what you're going to be for Halloween." Wirt laughed a little at her comment and rubbed the back of his neck.

"You're right, I don't have any ideas for Halloween."

"How? I always have a costume planned out like three months in advance and I'm not half as organized as you are." Wirt shrugged and smiled.

"I think it's really cute that you care so much about Halloween. My best costumes are always flung together at the last minute."

"So the gnome costume from last year, that was a last minute decision?"

"Yup. I destroyed a Santa hat and found an old cloak that belonged to one of my relatives or something."

"I don't know how you do that. I could never do that."

"It's being creative, Sara. You're creative."

"Not on the spur of the moment!"

"That's what creativity is. That's how I write poems. They just come to me, last minute."

"Everything else in your life is so particularly planned. I still don't get how you can be so nonchalant about costumes." Wirt thought for a solid minute and then shrugged.

"Maybe it just doesn't matter that much to me. Costumes are costumes. Halloween is Halloween. We're in high school, sometimes I think about not dressing up, but it would be less fun for Greg." Sara was quiet after that. She nodded.

"I see. We'll talk later, okay?"

"Okay... Are you upset with me?"

"No, Wirt, I'm not upset with you. I just wasn't expecting that." She felt a little silly now. For being so into the Holiday. For thinking about what it could mean for them as a couple. Wirt was beyond confused, and was up practically all night pacing and wondering what the exchange had meant. Had he done or said something wrong? He obsessed over the options. What if she wanted to break up with him?

There was a knock on his door. Greg looked sleepy, but had made the trek to his brother's bedroom nonetheless.

"What's wrong?" Wirt asked, immediately on high alert, worried but a little grateful for the distraction from his relationship.

"You walk loud..." Greg complained.

"Oh. Sorry. I guess I'll stop pacing."

"Good night Wirt." Greg said, about to leave.

"Wait, Greg." He stopped his brother before the little boy could leave.

"Yeah?" Wirt fell to his knees and grabbed Greg in a hug.

"I love you. Sweet dreams, sleep well." He always wished his brother sweet dreams, hoping that doing so would banish his own nightmares.

"Night Wirt. Stop walking please."

"I will." He promised, flicking off the light as Greg left for his own cozy bed. Wirt flopped down on his bed and stared at the ceiling, shadows spreading across it. He just blinked for a second, and when he opened his eyes the shadows took a form all too familiar and horrific. It was the Beast. He shivered and leaped from the bed, running to the window to convince himself that it was just a tree. But there weren't any trees outside his house.

"You're going crazy Wirt..." He told himself, before staring into the face of the Beast. He screamed.

"Your soul is _mine_." The Beast snarled. Wirt jumped back from the window, crashing to the floor, screaming all the while.

His eyes opened only when he heard his name being repeated.

"Wirt, Wirt sweetie, Wirt, wake up, you were having a nightmare again..." His mom's voice was soothing. She could never understand the nightmares, and they would never leave him.

"Where's Greg?" Wirt croaked as his mom pulled him off of the floor and into a hug.

"He's in bed, asleep like you should be. I'm getting worried about you. It's getting closer to Halloween, and your nightmares have been getting worse. Is what happened last year getting to you?"

"No, I'm fine mom. I promise..." But she was right. What happened last Halloween was the whole reason that this Halloween, and any costume he wore for it, was trivial. Because last year he'd nearly lost himself. Even worse, he'd nearly lost Greg. If he didn't spend the rest of his life making that up to his little brother than nothing mattered at all.

But he could compromise. He'd ask Sara tomorrow what she was planning for Halloween. In the abyss of worthlessness that was primarily his own existence, Sara was an oasis, a promise of purpose if you only kept going. He knew that his love for her was a forever kind of thing, and he tried his hardest to fight the beast in his dreams for her and for his family.

"Alright well, you need to get to bed. School tomorrow."

"Fine..." He groaned, still hugging her.

"I love you, sweetpea." He groaned again at the nickname, but he loved it. It made him feel safe.

"I love you too mom."

"Now I mean it about sleep, you have to be well rested, or you're going to turn into a zombie." He chuckled hollowly, but he wasn't the biggest fan of horror. Not since last year.

"Good night..." He said as she switched off the light and shut the door. He lay back down on the bed and let out a breath. Sleep. Should be easy, right? He didn't get a wink of it.

"You look like you got hit by a bus... What's wrong Wirt?" Sara asked, looking him over with concern.

"I didn't sleep well last night."

"Nightmares?" She guessed.

"Yeah..." Sara frowned.

"You really need to talk to someone about those. You know I'm always ready to listen, if you're ready to talk." He quickly shook his head

"I can't... Not yet."

"Alright. Let me know if you change your mind, okay?"

"Okay. Anyways... When I couldn't sleep last night, I was thinking about what you said, and I thought about some costume ideas."

"Really? So you're not going to go spur of the moment?"

"I don't think so..."

"Awesome... Let's talk after school, okay?"

"Alright."

"See you then!" She kissed his cheek before heading off to class, leaving him smiling, winning today's battle against the beast.


End file.
